Cutting tool



Feb. 16, 1937. G. s. MADsEN CUTTING TOOL Filed oct. 15, 19434 INVNTOR.G'eozyewend adlse ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 16, 1937 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application october15,

3 Claims.

i This invention relates to non-shaving cutting appliances that` employrazor blades of the socalled Gillette` type for the cutting edge, and

more particularly to the tool for holding the 5 blade.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide ablade-holding tool of the above character which is simple and economicalin construction and which is very compact, so that it may be carried inthe pocket conveniently, and wherein the blade is securely held in placealthough easily removable and replaceable. Due to the fact that,Gillettetype blades are doubleedged, certain difculties are encountered inproviding a tool wherein they may be used much in the manner that a jackknife is used. Means must be provided for holding the blade againsttransverse movement in the holder when the eX- posed cutting edge isforced against an object to be cut. Merely to cause the opposite cuttingedge to bear against an abutment is unsatisfactory. Movable, orremovable, stops that are inserted into openings in the blade after theblade is in position are objectionable in that they render the toolcomplicated and, generally, also more expensive.

I have invented a tool, of the above general character, wherein one ormore of the central openings in a Gillette type blade cooperate with animmovable stop, to hold the blade in place and wherein the blade may beinserted and removed in a simple manner. I use only a half of aGillette` type blade, the blade being broken in two along a longitudinalcenter line'where it is naturally the weakest. Each blade half,therefore, has only one cutting edge and, opposite thereto, an `edgehaving a series of indentations corresponding to a half outline of theopening or openings in the original blade. The half blade can beinserted into the holder until one or more of the indentations abutagainst a stationary stop pin.

` It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tool ofthe above character with a handle that is foldable over the cutting edgeof the blade for protective purposes, and is provided with meanseffective as it is folded into protective position for forcing the bladeinto its proper position if it has not already been fully inserted.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a toolwherein the blade is held against movement therein merely by the springpressure of the holder pressing thereagainst, and' wherein means isprovided Vfor as, suringthat the spring pressure will bev applied.

Cil

isi, serial No. 748.283

(c1. :so-9s) It is a further object of` the, present invention toprovide a blade holder wherein the blade may bc-freadily` removed forreplacement purpose.

The attainment of the above and .further objects of the presentinvention will be apparent 5 from the `following specification, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing forminga part thereof.

the drawing:

Fi ure l is a view, 1n partial section, showing 10 my toolin itsclosedvposition;

Figure 2 is an end view of the same in open position;

Figure 3 is a side view, in partial section;

Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 are sectionalviews taken, 15 respectively, alongthe lines 4 4, 5 5, 6 6, and 1 1 of Figure 3, and looking in thedirection of the arrows; and l Figure 8 is a View, corresponding toFigure 4, of a modied construction. Referring, now, more particularly tothe drawing, my tool comprises a blade holder l and a combined guard andhandle 2, hinged together by a pivot pin 3. The blade holder comprises aflat strip of sheet metal 4, folded upon itself so that the adjacentedges 5 5 define a narrow, longitudinally-extending slot 6 into which arazor blade of the wafer type may be inserted.` The upper edges 5 5 arespring pressed towards one another so that when they are slightly spread30 for insertion of a blade, and then released, they exert a springpressure tending to hold the blade against retraction. A rivet 8 extends,between the opposite folded sides of the folded Strip 4 and serves tohold the same against 35 spreading. Also, it acts as a stop to limit theextent of insertion of a bladento `the holder, it being located in adenite location with respect to notches in ,the blade, as will be setforth more fully presently. The outer end of the 40 holder is providedwith a lug 9 comprising an integral part of the sheet metal strip 4,bent over the top of the slot 6, and thereby holding the adjacent end ofthe blade against outward retraction. Adjacent the inner end of theholder, 45 one side of the folded strip has abulbous indentation I6formed therein, said indentation serving as a stop to limit the extentof insertion of the blade at that end of the holder. I The blade holderhas a ,certain amount` o1' 50 flexibility, so that the sides of the slotmay be spread for insertion of the blade. Means is provided, adjacentthe hinge end ofthe holder, for pi,nching the,... ends together. Thismeans comprises a cam in the form of a double-headed pin I5 that ridesin a pair of slots I6 in the blade holder. The pin l5 pinches the endsof the holder together adjacent one end of the blade, when the pin isVin the position illustrated in Figure 3. slot I6 it is further away fromthe corresponding end of the blade and thus permits more spreading ofthe holder adjacent that end of the blade. If desired, the holder can bemade with the slot I6 longer and extending above the shoulder 33, sothat when the cam I5 is in its lower, locking position it lies over theshoulder 33 of the blade and acts as an abutment to hold the bladeagainst retraction, in addition to theA holding effect due to thepinching'action. The bottom edge of the holder is provided with a slotI1 to facilitate removal of a blade from the holder. By inserting anobject, such as the end of a pencil, or the back end of another blade,the blade may be pried out of the holder.

' The combinedl guard and handle comprises a single strip of sheet metalfolded upon itself into a U shape, forming a slot 20 of a width suicientto enablev the guard to embrace the blade holder. A rivet 2| cooperateswith a notch in the blade holder to limit the extent of opening of thehandle, so that when the handle is in its full open position, it is inlongitudinal alignment with the blade holder. Another rivet pin 22 isprovided for forcing the blade completely into position as the handle isfolded over the holder, if the blade was not fully inserted previously.

In order to reduce the overall width of the tool and provide for othersimplification, the blade holder is adapted to use one half of astandard Gillette type blade. The blade, of wafer form, is indicated at30 and has a longitudinally-extending cutting edge 3|. The corners ofthe blade endwise of the cutting edge are cut away, as indicated at 32,defining abutment shoulders 33. The blade shown in the drawing is onehalf of a Gillette type blade, the Gillette type blade being broken intwo along the narrow hinge portion 3&34 of the blade. Each half of theblade has a plurality of irregularities or grooves 31-37 which, in theGillette type blade are provided for positioning the blade in a razor.The pin 8 and the indentation Ill are so located, with respect to theirregularities 3'l-3'l that the irregularities just t over the pin andindentation and are held thereby in position.

To insert a blade in the holder, one of the abutment shoulders 33 isinserted under the lug 9 and the entire blade is then pushed downwardlyand to the left, as seen in Figure 3. When the grooves 37-31 engage thepin 8 and indentation I0 of the blade is in proper position. However, itdoes not matter if the blade is not fully inserted. When that is thecase, a closure of the handle will bring the pin 22 into engagement withthe abutment, shoulder 33 on the right-hand side (as seen in Figure 3)of the blade and with the blade edge 36, and force the blade intoposition.

The modication shown in Figure 8 differs from the section shown inFigure 4 in that here the lug 9 is omitted, and instead the ends of thefolded piece of strip metal are pinched together at the end of the slot,as indicated at 4U, and may be welded.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes, I have shownand described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is,

When the pin is retracted in the A however, to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the precise construction shown, the samebeing merely illustrative. What I consider new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. A tool comprising a razor blade holder and a combined guard andhandle pivoted together, the holder comprising a metal strip folded uponitself so that its opposite longitudinal edges dene a narrowlongitudinally-extending blade receiving slot into which a razor bladeof wafer form may be inserted and against which the edges of the foldedstrip exert a spring pressure, a blade of wafer form in said holder,means for limiting the extent of insertion of the blade into the slot,the guard and handle comprising a second strip of metal folded uponitself so that its opposite longitudinal edges dene alongitudinally-extending slot wide enough to embrace the blade receivingedge of the holder, the handle being swingable from a positionsubstantially in alignment lengthwise of the holder to a positionembracing the blade receiving edge of the holder, and means associatedwith the handle for forcing the blade into its fully inserted positionin the holder as the handle is swung into a position embracing theholder.

2. A tool comprising a razor blade holder and a combined guard andhandle pivoted together, the holder comprising a metal strip folded uponitself so that its opposite longitudinal edges define a narrowlongitudinally-extending blade receiving slot into which a razor bladeof wafer form may be inserted and -against which the edges of the foldedstrip exert a spring pressure, a blade of wafer form in said slot, onelongitudinal edge of the blade constituting a cutting edge, and theopposite longitudinal edge being a non-cutting edge and having at leastone pin receiving indentation, said blade having cutaway portionsdisposed endwise of its cutting edge and defining abutment shoulders,means on the handle for forcing an abutment shoulder of the blade intoits fully inserted position, and means for limiting the extent ofinsertion of the blade into the holder.

3. A tool comprising a razor blade holder and a combined guard andhandle pivoted together, the holder comprising a metal strip folded uponitself so that its opposite longitudinal edges dene a narrowlongitudinally-extending blade receiving slot into which a razor bladeof wafer form may be inserted and against which the edges of the foldedstrip exert a spring pressure, a bl-ade of wafer form in said slot, onelongitudinal edge of the blade constituting a cutting edge, and theopposite longitudinal edge being a non-cutting edge and having at leastone pin receiving indentation, said blade having cut-away portionsdisposed endwise of its cutting edge and defining abutment shoulders,means for limiting the extent of insertion of the blade into the holder,said means comprising at least one rivet pin extending through thefolded strip and against which the pin receiving indentation bears, theedges of the folded strip being held together at one end of the slot andcooperating with one of the abutment shoulders of the blade for holdingthe blade against retraction outwardly at that end of the slot, asliding cam mounted and movable in grooves in the folded strip adjacentthe opposite end of the slot and bearing against the two outer ends ofthe folded strip for pinching the folded strip together, the guard andhandle cornprsing asecond strip of metal folded upon itself so that litsopposite longitudinal edgesl define a longitudinal slot wide enough toembrace the blade receiving edge of the holder, the handle beingswingable from a position substantially in alignment lengthwise of theholder to a. position embracing the blade receiving edge of the holder;and' means associated' with then hamne and bearing against a abutmentshoulder of the blade for forcing thef blade into its fully insertedposition in the holder as the handle is swung into a position embracingthe holder.

GEORGE SWEN'D MADSEN.

